从后殖民主义的角度探析莉迪亚之死连豪婷

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ContentsChineseAbstract2EnglishAbstract31.Introduction41.1CelesteNgandEverythingINeverToldYou41.2LiteratureReview51.3Post-colonialTheory82.AnalysisofLydia’sDeathfromImmigrationStatus102.1ChineseImmigrants---HenryandJames102.2AsianImmigrant---Louisa103.AnalysisofLydia’sDeathfromthe“Silent”143.1The“Silent”AmongtheImmigrants---Wendy143.2The“Silent”AmongtheMainstreamSociety---Marilyn173.3The“Silent”AmongtheMixed-racefamily---Lydia174.Conclusion18References2021

1从后殖民主义的角度探析莉迪亚之死摘要《无声告白》（2014）是美国当代著名作家伍绮诗的处女作。该小说于2014年获得美国亚马逊年度最佳图书第1名。小说以莉迪亚一家为切入点，展示了二十世纪最后四十多年华裔在美国的窘境。小说以莉迪亚之死为起点，依靠人物之间的牵绊，逐步揭开这个华裔家庭之中所发生的一切，引出莉迪亚之死的真相。本文以后殖民主义理论为主要框架，剖析莉迪亚悲剧的深层原因。本文主要从华裔的身份与无声者两个角度来分析书中主要角色与莉迪亚之死的联系，进一步说明莉迪亚之死这一悲剧是亚裔族群没有自己的话语权而造成的。本文揭示了蕴含其中的当时美国华裔群体的窘境和没有话语权的女性的悲剧。关键词：后殖民主义；莉迪亚；华裔21

2OntheDeathofLydiafromthePerspectiveofPost-colonialismAbstractEverythingINeverToldYou(2014)isthedebutofCelesteNg,afamouscontemporaryAmericanwriter.Itwasawardedthebestof2014byAmericanwebsiteAmazon.ItshowstheplightofChinese-AmericansintheUnitedStateduringthelastfortyyearsofthetwentiethcentury.TakingLydia’sdeathasastartingpointanddependingonthetiesbetweenthecharacters,thenovelgraduallyuncoverswhathappensinthisChinese-Americanfamily.Finally,itpointsoutthetruthofLydia’sdeath.Thisthesisusespost-colonialismtheoryasthemainframeworktoanalyzetheunderlyingcausesofLydia’stragedy.Furthermore,italsoanalyzestherelationshipbetweentheothermaincharactersandLydia’sdeathfromthetwoperspectivesofChinese-Americans’identityandthe“Silent”.ThenitfurtherillustratesthatthetragedyofLydia’sdeathisduetothecoursethatChinese-Americansdon’thavetheirownrighttospeak.ThepaperrevealsthepredicamentoftheChinese-Americansandthetragedyofwomenwhohavenorighttospeak.Keywords:post-colonialism;Lydia;Chinese-Americans21

31.Introduction1.1CelesteNgandEverythingINeverToldYouAsafamousAsianAmericannovelist,CelesteNg(1980-)isawriterwhopreferstowriteabouttheissuesofthestereotypesofAsianAmericansintheUnitedStates.BorninPittsburgh,theUnitedState,sheisadescendantofChineseAmericanbuthasinheritedAmericanculture.CelesteNg’sparentswerefromHongKongimmigrants.ShegrewupintheUnitedStatesandreceivedanAmericaneducation.ButtheUnitedStateswasnotsofriendlyasAsiansdreamedtobe.EvenifherfatherworkedforNASAandhermothertaughtatOhioStateUniversity,theirhomewasstillexcluded.Attheageof11,shewasimpressedbyadrunkardyellingather“GobacktoyourChina,SouthKoreaorothercountries”,whichwasoneofthereasonsshewantedtotellthestoryofAsianinterracialmarriage.Inaddition,CelesteNgwrotethatwritingwasoneofherlongest-standinginterests.Whenshewasten,shepublishedherfirstshortstoryinachildren’smagazine.Inhighschool,shewastheeditor-in-chiefoftheschoolliterature.Aftercollege,shecontinuedtostudyforamaster’sdegreeinwritingatUniversityofMichigan.Herfirstnovel,EverythingINeverToldYou(2014),wasahugesuccessassoonasitappeared.ItwasaNewYorkTimesbestseller,aNewYorkTimesNotableBookof2014,Amazon’s#1BestBookof2014,andwasnamedabestbookoftheyearbyoveradozenpublications.EverythingINeverToldYouwasalsothewinneroftheMassachusettsBookAward,theAsian/PacificAmericanAwardforLiterature,theALA’sAlexAward,andtheMediciBookClubPrize,andwasafinalistfornumerousawards,includingtheOhioanaAwardandtheVCUCabellFirstNovelistAward.Tillnowithasbeentranslatedintoovertwentylanguages.CelesteNgisnotthefirstpersontodescribeAsianstories.EarlyAsianAmericanwritersAmyTanandMaxineHongKingstonalreadycoveredthisintheirworks,buttheirworksmainlyemphasizetheconflictsbetweentheimmigrantsthemselves,suchasChinesedescentandtheAmericanexternalenvironmentinwhichtheylive.AndCelesteNgputstheethnicandculturalconflictsinafamilywhichChinese-AmericansarefacedintheUnitedStates.Inthenovel,shetellsaboutthespecialculturalconflicts,uncoverstheinequalityofthesocietyatthattime,takesintoaccounttheneglected21

4Asianinter-ethnicmarriage,andshowsthesituationofanoutsiderinChineseculture.Atthesametime,CelesteNgshowsherproficientwritingskillsinEverythingINeverToldYou,includingsuspensesettings,non-linearnarrativestructure,lightanddarkstorylines,etc.Withauniqueinsight,thisnovelalsofullyrevealsthefragilehumannatureofamixed-racefamilyandmultipletopicssuchasraces,genders,family,growths,etc.FortheprototypeofEverythingINeverToldYou,CelesteNghasbluntlystatedthatitisbasedonarealcaseofafriendandembellisheswithherownexperience.ThenovelmainlytellsthestoryofaChinese-Americanmixed-racefamilyfrom1950sto1970s.Theopeningpartdirectlypointsoutthat“Lydiaisdead.Buttheydon’tknowthisyet.”(CelesteNg,2014:1).TheystilllookforLydia,thenthroughtheback-and-forthshuttlebetweenrealityandpast,thisnovelgraduallyrevealsthesecretfeelingsofeachmemberofthisAsianinterracialmarriagefamily.Thenovelcanberoughlydividedintotwoclues.OneishowherfamilythinksandfeelsafterLydiahasdisappeared.AnotheristhememoriesdatingbacktothepreviousgenerationsafterLydia’sdeath.Thearrangementnotonlyattractsthereader’sattention,butalsogivesthemahintofthefateofthe“Silent”.Althoughthenovelisanopen-ending,itcanbeseenvaguelythatthisfamilyhasgraduallyrepairedtheseproblemsafterpassingthroughthis.1.2LiteratureReview1.2.1DomesticStudiesCelesteNghasgainedherpopularityandreputationforhernovels.Butthereareonlysomeresearchacademicpapersonherandherworks.ManydomesticresearchersintendtostudyChineseAmericanliteraturerelatedtoearlyChineseAmericanwriters’works,suchasAmyTan(TheJoyLuckClub1987),MaxineHongKingston(TheWomanWarrior1976).IntermsofEverythingINeverToldYou,ithasgainedlessresponsefromcriticsabroadcomparingwiththoseworks.Withthedevelopmentandin-depthstudyatChineseAmericanliteratureinChina,thedomesticresearchonCelesteNg’sworksandherliterarypropositionhavegraduallyincreasedandhaveattractedanumberofresearchersandscholarswhohavemadeoutstandingcontributionsinthisfield.Atpresent,theresearchersaremainlythescholarsorpostgraduatesofEnglishdepartmentsandChinesedepartmentsinuniversities.UntilApril10,2020,byapplyingthedocumentretrievalinChinaNationalKnowledgeInfrastructure,inputtingCelesteNgasakeyword,therearerelevant4221

5literatures,including27periodicalsand15doctoral/masterdissertations.InputtingEverythingINeverToldYouasfull-texttosearch,thereare93literatures,including70periodicalsand23doctoral/masterdissertations,amongwhich11doctoraldissertationshavesomechapterstodiscussit,and5masterdissertationsarededicatedcompletelytodiscussit.ThestudiesandresearchaboutEverythingINeverToldYouabroadanddomesticcanbedividedintothefollowingaspects.A.PerspectiveoffamilyeducationWuDongliofNanjingUniversityusesthetheoryoffamilysystemstoanalyze.WubelievesthatLydia’sdeathhastornapartthemildappearanceofmodelminorityethnicfamiliesandbreaksthefragilebalancebetweenmembers,thusrevealsthemodelminorityethnicities’identitycrisisandexistenceanxietyinwhitemainstreamsociety(吴冬丽,2018).LuNingyuandZhangLudidresearchfromtheperspectiveoffamilyeducation.TheybelievethatthebiggestreasonforLydia’sdeathisthatherparentsfallintothemisunderstandingoflovebecauseofdifferentculturesandidentities,andsubjectivelyinterferedwithLydia’slife(路宁钰，张璐,2019).B.PerspectiveofnarrativecharacteristicsNiuYuebelievesthathermother’sdepartureandNath’s“accidental”causesstructuraltraumatoLydia,whichisthereasonwhyshefinallydrownedherself(牛越,2018).HuangHuihuistartswithtraumaticnarrativeandpointsoutthatEverythingINeverToldYouisatraumaticcognitivenovelandtimephilosophynovelabouttime,personality,andself.AlthoughfollowingthetraumaticnarrativetraditionofChineseAmericanliteraturefamilies,itisdifferentfromit.(黄辉辉,2019).C.PerspectiveofmainstreamcultureGuJingyumainlyexploresfromtheperspectiveofthe“other”.Shebelievesthatapartfromhermother’sfamily,Marilynisnotinthisremotearea.OtherpeopleinthisfamilyaremoreorlessaffectedbyOrientalism,especiallyJamesandNath(顾晶钰,2017).ZhongWentingmainlyresearchesfromthemarginalizedpeople,Marilyn,James,andNath,andbelievesthatthemarginalizedMarilynisthemainreasonforLidia’slackofself(钟文婷,2017).YanYinmainlyanalyzesthesituationofthe“other”intheculturalgapofsilentconfessionmainlyfromthe“hybrid”ofHomiBaba(YanYin,2016).1.2.2ForeignStudiesSinceitspublication,EverythingINeverToldYouhasattractedwidepublic21

6attentionandhasbeenwidelyreportedbymanyfamousnewspapersandmagazinesinashortperiodoftime.ClaireSimoncommentedinTheBostonGlobethat“Wonderfullymoving!Emotionallyprecise!Abeautifullycraftedstudyofdysfunctionandgrief!Thisbookwillresonatewithanyonewhohaseverhadafamilydrama”(Net1).Threeexclamationmarksinarowareenoughtoshowthathevaluesthiswork.Inaddition,hebelievesthattheauthor’sdelicatewritingsusethedeathofLydiaasacluetofullyexpressthestatusandstatusofdifferentcharactersduetoracialdiscriminationandtheiranxietyperformance.RTSaward-winningjournalistClareFallongaveitahighratinginTheHuffingtonPost,“Apowerhouseofadebutnovel,aliterarymysterycraftedoutofshimmeringproseandprecise,painfulobservationaboutracialbarriers,theburdenoffamilialexpectations,andthebasichumanthirstforbelonging…”(Net2).HebelievesthatCelesteNgnotonlyshowsthediversityofthemesinEverythingINeverToldYou,butalsoshowsrace,feminism,familyandotherissues.KoreanwriterAlexanderCheebelievesthatCelesteNgmainlyuncoversthepressureof“heterogeneous”surroundingsandfocusesonasmall,unknownfamily,andgraduallyexpandsthehiddencontradictionsofthisfamily.AndhecommentedinTheNewYorkTimes:“Ifweknowthisstory,wehaven’tseenityetinAmericanfiction,notuntilnow…Whatemergesisadeep,heartfeltportraitofafamilystrugglingwithitsplaceinhistory,andayoungwomanhopingtobethefulfillmentofthatstruggle.Thisis,intheend,anovelabouttheburdenofbeingthefirstofyourkind—aburdenyoudonotalwayssurvive”(Net3).O,TheOprahMagazine,awomen’smagazine,mainlyconsidersthistobethewritingtechniqueiswonderfulandthecontentiswonderful.Notonlyisthecontentexcellent,butitsconnotationisalsoverybroad.Itcoversavarietyoftopicssuchasgenderandrace,butthecontentisseriousandinteresting.Itcommentedthat“Cleverlycrafted,emotionallyperceptive…Ngsensitivelydramatizesissuesofgenderandracethatlieattheheartofthestory…Ng’sthemesofassimilationarethemselvesdeftlyinterlacedintoatauttaleofeverdeepeningandquickeningsuspense”(Net4).Atpresent,theaboveforeignmaterialsmainlycomefrommediareports.Inthesepraises,thesereportsfocusonthreethemesrevealedbythenovel:racism,feminism,andfamilyissues.ThispaperattemptstofurtheranalyzethecauseofLydia’sdeathfromtheperspectiveofpost-colonialism.21

7AboutEverythingINeverToldYou,itisnotdifficulttofindthatthereislessresearchonthepost-colonialismdirection.Theyconductresearchonraceandfamilyeducation.ItisnecessarytoexplorethecausesandeffectsofLydia’sdeathinCeleste’sworks.Fromthegeneralpointofviewoftheresearch,thepost-colonialperspectiveisindeednewtoexploringthecontentofthenovel.ThispaperattemptstoanalyzethenovelfromthisperspectiveinordertohelpreadersfullyunderstandthetragedyofLydia’sdeathinCeleste’sworksandthesituationoftheChineseAmericans.1.3Post-colonialTheoryPost-colonialtheoryisthemaintideofWesterncultureafterpostmodernism.Post-colonialismemergesinthewesternacademiccirclesinthemiddleofthetwentiethcentury.Itisakindofacademicthoughtwithstrongpoliticalandculturalcriticismandmainlyfocusesonthesovereignstateanddiscourseofrelationsbetweentheformercolonies.Post-colonialism,asadiscourse,alwayschangeswiththedifferentpolitical,economic,andculturalrequirementsimposedbydifferentnational,ethnic,linguistic,andreligiousgroups(翟金,2013).Althoughtheconceptandconnotationofdefiningpost-colonialtheoryhasbeencontroversialinwesternacademiccircles,nomatterwhatthedefinitionis,thereisstillsomeconsensusonsomegeneralcharacteristicsofpost-colonialism.Itscharacteristicnotarigidtheory,whichhasoftenchangedsinceitsbirthtoadapttodifferenthistoricalmoments,geographicalareas,culturalidentities,politicalsituations,affiliationsandreadingpractices.1.3.1OriginPost-colonialismisbasedonthedeconstructionofstructuralismandthe“decentralized”thinkingmodelandadvocatesthatallnationsintheworldequallyenjoygoodmaterialandculturalrights.AfterthedevelopmentofSaid,SpivakandHomiBaba,theyhaveformedauniquediscoursesystem.ThemaintheoreticaloriginsofitsriseareAfricananti-colonialChinesetheoriesinthe1920s;Marxistnation-statetheory,especiallythetwoarticlesBritishRuleinIndia(1853)andTheFutureResultsofBritishRuleinIndia(1853)Gramsci’sthoughtofculturalhegemony;Foucault’stheoryofpowerdiscourse.Inshort,post-colonialismiscommittedtochangingthewaypeoplethinkandbehaveinordertocreateamorejustandfairrelationshipbetweendifferentraces.Fromtheearly20thcenturytothe1970s,FranzFanon’sBlackSkin,WhiteMask(1952)canbesaidtobethebeginningofpost-colonialism,atwhichtimepost-colonialismhadnotyettakenshape,oratthattimetherewasnotheword“21

8post-colonialism”.Fromthe1970stothe1990s,post-colonialismasaliterarytermreallyappearedbetweenliteraryschools,whileSaid’sOrientalism(1978)andSpivak’sCantheSubalternSpeak?(1988)andHomiBaba’stheLocationofCulturewereanimportantpartoftheformationanddevelopmentofpost-colonialism.Theemergenceofpost-colonialismwassounexpectedandrapid.Evenwiththesedimentationofthepasttwodecades,post-colonialismhadstillfacedmanyquestions.Andfromthe1990stothepresent,post-colonialismisinastageofreflection.ItsrepresentativeisAlifDrake,andhisrepresentativeworkisRevolutionandHistory:OriginofChineseMarxistHistoriography,1919-1937.1.3.2TheoreticalFrameworkStrictlyspeaking,post-colonialismisanambiguousconcept.Itusuallyhastwodirections.First,itreferstoatheoreticaltrend,andsecond,itisakindofwritingthatisdifferentfromtheorthodoxliteratureofthecolonialsuzerain.Post-colonialismasatheoreticaltrendofthoughtactuallyreferstothestudyofcolonialwritinganddiscoursebysomeWesterntheoristssuchasSaid,Spivak,andHomiBaba.A.Said’sPost-colonialTheoryOrientalism(1999)writtenbythePalestinian-Americanscholar,EdwardSaid,officiallymarksthebirthofpost-colonialism.Heusedtheterm“Orientalism”todescribethepost-colonialrelationshipbetweentheWesternandEasternworlds.Orientalismisfirstlythenameofadiscipline,andsecondlyitisalsoawayofthinkingbasedonthedifferencesbetweenEasternandWesternontologyandepistemology,oritisaWesterndomination,reconstructionanddiscoursemonopolyoftheEast.Inessence,OrientalismisapoliticalsystemthatdominatestheEastintheWesternworld.Orientalismwasproducedatthesametimeascolonialactivities,anditexpressedakindofpower,dominance,andhegemonicrelationshipbetweentheWesternworldandtheEasternworld.Inaseriesofpost-colonialtheories,SaidinsistesonthecritiqueofWesterncentralismandtheexposureofculturalhegemony.Ideologyisalwaysconnectedwithspecialinterests,orthereasonwhyideologydefends“reversalconsciousness”and“falseconsciousness”isthatspecialinterestsaretreatedaspity.ThereisnodoubtthatWesternwritershaveabiasofnationalclassconsciousnessindescribingliterarytextsinvolvingtheEast.B.Spivak’sPost-colonialTheoryOnthebasisofSaid’sachievement,Indian-AmericanscholarGayatriSpivaksupplementedthetwoaspectsofcolonizationandgenderdiscriminationandthe21

9discussionofanti-colonialappeals.HerdissertationCantheSubalternSpeak?(2006)becameaprogrammaticdocumentforpost-colonialism.Inherwork,Spivakbelievesthatthereisaninconsistentrelationshipbetweentheconditionsandeffectsofobtainingcognitionbetweenrhetoricandlogic.Thisrelationshipistherelationshipbetweentheagentswhobuildtheworld,sothattheagentscanhaveethicsbehavior,politicalbehavior,anditispossibletosurviveasahumanintheworld.Spivak’spost-colonialismhasthecharacteristicsofpluralism.Shecombinesthesethreetheories,deconstructionism,Marxism,andfeminismtoformherownuniquestyle.C.HomiBaba’sPost-colonialTheoryHomiBaba,aPersian-Americanscholar,hasauthoredpost-colonialstudiessuchasNationandNarration(1990),TheLocationofCulture（1994）,andAGlobalMeasure.Hispost-colonialtheoryrepresentsthelateststageinthedevelopmentofcontemporarywesternpost-colonialtheoryofcriticism.Andthiscriticismischaracterizedbytheeliminationoftheculturalpre-rightsoftheWesternEmpirethroughitsmuddledstrategy.TheachievementsofBaba’scriticaltheoryaremainlyreflectedin:(1)callingMarxismandpost-structuralismthestyle,developingachallenginganddeconstructivestyleofpost-colonialculturalcriticism;(2)hispromiscuoustheoryinfluencesthecurrentresearchonculturalidentityandethnicminoritiesintheinternationalacademiccommunity,andproposesspecificstrategiesforthirdworldcriticstovoice;(3)HomiBabaattemptstooverturnthisone-dimensionalunidimensionaldialecticalrelationshipofsubjectandobject,selfandother,essenceandphenomenon,andreplacesitwithtermssuchas“hybrid”,“simulation”,“thirdspace”,“ambiguity”,etc.Post-colonialtheoreticalthoughtsareverycomplicated.Ithasaninterdisciplinarytendencyincontentandform,andintricaterelationshipswithmanycontemporarytheoreticalthoughtsintheWest.ThispaperattemptstoanalyzethecausesofLydia’sdeathfromsomeofthekeyperspectivesofthepost-colonialism.2.AnalysisofLydia’sDeathfromImmigrationStatus2.1ChineseImmigrants---HenryandJamesHenryisJames’fatherandJamesisLydia’sfatherwhoisoneoftheprotagonistsofthisnovel.TheyarethefirstandsecondgenerationofChineseimmigrantsrespectively.AsaChinese-American,thisidentitymadethemexcludedbytheUnited21

10States.HenryhadsuccessfullyemigratedtotheUnitedStates,buthewasinferiorinAmericaandhadtorelyonthelowliestjobsforhislivelihood.Inthemid-20thcentury,ChineseAmericanswerealwaysregardedasan“other”inAmerica.SoasaChinese-American,hecouldn’tgetadecentjobandlifeabetterlife.Hebelievedthatlanguagebarrierandskincolorwerethemainreasons.HewaseagertoberespectedbywhitepeopleandhaveabetterlifeintheUnitedStates.However,asthe“other”oftheWest,hedoomedtofail.Throughouthislife,hewasstillanemployeewithpoorpay.Henrybelievedthatwasduetolanguagebarrier.Ifhefixedit,thenhecouldbetransformedfromthe“other”to“self”.ButHenrycouldn’tchangehisstatusquosoheplacedhiswishonJames.HedreamedthatJamescouldintegrateintothemainstreamsociety.Thus,hetriedhisbesttocreatetheexternalconditionsforJames.Forinstance,Jamescouldgotoschoolthat’swhyHenrymovedtoLloyd.ButHenrydidn’tknowthat’snotenough.ComparedwithHenry’splightintheUnitedStates,James’situationwasevenmoreunfavorable.EvenifJameswasexcellentinlanguageandacademicperformances,hehadstillneverbeenfittinginhere.Jamescouldn’talsogetridoftheidentityof“other”duetohisskincolorwhichwasnatureandcouldn’tbechanged.Henry’sdesirewasoneofthereasonsthatJameswaseagertointegrateintothemainstreamsociety.Additionally,Henrycouldn’tupholdJamesandtoldhimhowtodealwithsuchoccasionswhenhewashumiliated.Therefore,Jamesbelievedthathisidentitymakeshimexcludedfromothers.Asasecond-generationChineseimmigrant,Jamesbecamemoreandmoreinferior.InthathealsohadOrientalmasculinityinhisheart.AsSaidpointsout,inOrientalism,thatintheprocessoftheformationofOrientalism,theWestistheculprit.Firstofall,itismanifestedinthesenseofinferiorityoftheeasternnationsandthepsychologicalconsciousness.ThatisshownasJameswantedtobeamemberofthemainstreamsocietybymeetingtherequirementsofothers.Hedidn’tlikethathewasaChineseimmigrantratherthanapureCaucasian.Accordingly,theolderJamesgrew,themoresensitiveandinferiorhewas.Consequently,hewasobsessedwiththerecognitionofmainstreamsocietybutfailed.Andthiscouldbeexplainedfromthefollowingexamples.ItoccurredonthefirstmorningofgoingtoLloydacademic.Awhitegirlnexttohimaskeddirectly,“What’swrongwithyoureyes?”(CelesteNg,2014:43).ItmadeJamesfeellikehewasthe“other”.ThisquestiondeeplyhurtJames;however,histeacherjuststoppedthegirlaskingsuchaquestionina“horror”(CelesteNg,2014:43)voice.Bothgirl’squestion21

11andteacher’stonemadeJamessensitivelyawarethathisstatusandconditionwasdifferentfromhisclassmatesandhewasthe“other”.Forthefirsttime,JamesreallyknewthathewasdifferentfromCaucasianaroundhim.Hedidn’twanttobealonelypeopleortobethe“other”,sohelearnedakindof“supposedembarrassment”(CelesteNg,2014:43)fromhisteacher’svoice.Fromthenon,hebegantomakeuphismindtoenterthemainstreamsocietyandchangefromthe“other”to“self”.Hetriedtogettheapprovalofthepeoplearoundhimbyrespondingaccordingly.Buttheseideasmadehimfallintoakindofself-denial,denyhisownskincolor,acceptthebullyingofothers,andfallintothetrapof“theother”.Nevertheless,Jamesstillfallsintothetrap.Hefranticallywantstointegrateintothismainstreamsocietythroughacompromiseway.HeexperiencesplentyofunfairtreatmentinAmericaforheisaChineseImmigrant.IncludingthathisjobofferisanunknowncollegeinsteadofHarvard.Forexample,ProfessorCarlsonrejectedJameswithsuchaword“fit”(CelesteNg,2014:50).Whataridiculousreason!ButJamesjustmadeacompromisewithit.Andforsuchabullying,henotonlysilentlyaccepted,butalsotriedtoteachNathtoacceptit.HiscompromiseisattributedtoinferiorityfeelingasanOriental.AccordingtoOrientalism,thisinferiorityfeelingisnotonlyrelatedtothelong-termcolonialindoctrinationoftheWest,butalsotothelong-termeconomicandpoliticalbackwardnessoftheEasternnation.WhetherNathorJames,bothofthemhaddarkeyesandyellowskin.ButLydiawasdissimilar,shehadapairofblueeyesandwhiteskin.Thus,JamesputallhiswishesonLydia,especiallyafterMarilynranawayfromhome.Hefeltapanicthathewas"again"abandonedbytheUnitedStates.Accordingly,JamesbegantoinfuseLydiafrequentlywithhisdesireofmakingfriends.AlthoughheknewLydiadidn’tlikeit,hestilldid.AndhecomfortedhimselfthatLydiawouldunderstandhimwhenshegrewup.ButheforciblyignoredLydia’smicro-expression,she“swallowed,hard”(CelesteNg,2014:176).HetookitforgrantedthatLydiadidsuperiortohimselfinintegratingintothemainstreamsocietyduetoherblueeyes.Nevertheless,thebiggesthopethatJamesthoughtwasanillusion.Jamesfoundthathisproudestseconddaughter---Lydia,neverfulfilledhiswish.Lydiahadnofriends.Inthat“hehadneverseenaticketstub”(CelesteNg,2014:19).Buthenevertookhermoodintoaccount.Consequently,Lydiapassedaway.JamessuddenlyrealizedthathiswishwastooheavyforLydia.Hewasalsoawareofaproblem.Immigrantshadalwaysstruggledtointegrateintomainstreamsocialcircles.Butthey21

12alwaysfailed,notonlybecauseoftheirlowself-esteem,butalsoduetotheprejudiceofwhitepeople.Allinall,James,asthe“other”inAmerica,notonlyisinfluencedbyHenry,butalsohasagreatinfluenceonLydia’sdeath.Intheprocessofpursuingidentity,JamesisunconsciouslyinfiltratedbyWesternculture.Toacertainextent,itishispersistentpursuitofmainstreamsocietythatforcesLydiatodie.2.2AsianImmigrants---LouisaLouisaisanAsianImmigrant,whoisnotonlyJames’assistantbutalsohislover.LouisaaffectsLydia’sjudgmentwhensheappears.Lydia’sfirstimpressionofLouisaisverybad.AsNgdescribesthat“Thisgirlissleepingwithmyfather”(CelesteNg,2014:229).Andthat’smainlybecauseofLydia’sstereotypeoftheOriental.Said’sOrientalismdescribesthattheEastisbrutal,degenerate,dictatorial,corrupt,antiquated,stagnant,evil,whiletheWestiscivilized,rational,scientific,modern,progressive,andactive.Similarly,Lydia'simpressionofLouisastillstaysinthisstereotype.MeanwhiletheemergenceofLouisaexacerbatedhersenseofoppressionaboutthefamily’simpendingdisintegrationandLydiawasverysensitive.ScarcelyhadLydiarealizedthatshewouldloseherfatherwhenLouisaappeared.ShemisunderstoodthatLouisawasdatingherfather.Thus,LydiawasextremelyrepelledbythegiftLouisaselected.Nguseswordslike“hook”(CelesteNg,2014:230)and“yank”(CelesteNg,2014:230)todescribeLydia’srejectionofLouisa.ThemistakemadeLydiauneasy.ItdirectlyledtothefailureofLydia’sdrivinglicensetest.Andthat’safuseofLydia'sdeath.Said’spost-colonialtheorymainlystudiesmeninthethirdworld,whileSpivak’spost-colonialismfurtherstudieswomenwhohavenorighttospeak,especiallythefemaleinthethirdworld.Louisaisexactlyawomaninthethirdworldwhohasnorighttospeakforherself.HerfirstencounterwithLydiaisspeculatedmaliciouslybyLydiaandbecomesoneofLydia’ssecrets.Inaddition,LouisaalsohasthekindoftraitsSaidmentioned,aspecialorientalorientalization.Sheisalsoeagertointegrateintothismainstreamworld.Asthedescriptioninthisnovel,“Hewillleaveher—hewillmarryme—Iwillmakehimhappy—therewillbenootherwoman”(CelesteNg,2014:206).ShebelievesthatshewillmarryJamesandenterthemainstreamsociety.Luisa,theOrientalwoman,whosesituationisalsothesameasJames’intheWest.Theyareboththe“other”.AlthoughNgdoesnotdescribetheplotofLouisabeingbullied,LouisaisthefateofanimmigranttoJames.BecausetheybothhavethesameskinandLouisaisJames’“thesortofwoman”(CelesteNg,2014:205).Shehasherownwaytointegratethemainstreamsociety.ForAmerica,Louisaisjustthe“other”.21

13ForLydia,Louisamakesherfearful.Sheisafraidthatherfatherwillleaveasbeforehermotherdid.Regardingthismatter,Louisadoesn’tknow.Shecan’tproveherinnocenceandstopLydia’sdeath.BecauseLydiaisbiasedagainsther.Althoughshecan’tmakeherfatherloatheLouisa,LydiaisveryresistanttoLouisa.ShenotonlyripsoffthenecklacechosenbyLouisa,butalsoexplicitlytellsHannahtostayawayfromthisnecklace.WhenHannahhiddenthisnecklace,shesays“Whatareyoudoingwiththat?”(CelesteNg,2014:260).Shetriestostopthefamilyfromfragmenting,butshecan’twithstandthepressure.SigmundFreudsaysthatunexpressedemotionswillneverdie,theyarejustburiedaliveandwillemergeinanuglierwayinthefuture(SigmundFreud,石磊,2016).Louisa’ssilenceforcesLydiachange.ThateruptsLydia’sunexpressedemotions.Andshetriedtoenterthemainstreamsocietybymarriage.HerattemptisanindirectcauseofLydia’sdeath.3.AnalysisofLydia’sDeathfromthe“Silent”3.1The“Silent”AmongtheImmigrants---WendyWendyisLydia’sgrandmother.HerinfluenceonLydia’sdeathisindirect.Wendy’ssilencehasahugeinfluenceonJamesthatcausesJamestopersistinpursuingtheidentityofmainstreamsociety.Said’spost-colonialtheorydoesnotinvolvetheroleofwomen,whileSpivakcombinesfeminismwithpost-colonialism.ShemainlyexploreswhethertheroleoftheEastasthe“other”intheWestcanmakeitsownvoice.InEverythingINeverToldYou,James’mother---Wendyisapersonwithoutmuchdescription.ShedoesnotseemtoexistintheUnitedStates.InthatWendycan’tlethervoicebeheardinthissociety.Sheisonlyathirdworldwoman.Hervoiceisweakorevennot.FromtheperspectiveofSpivak’spost-colonialism,Said’sOrientalistdiscourseiscompletelylimitedtoWesterndiscourse,andtheEastisbasicallyregardedasasilent“other”.ThearticleCantheSubalternSpeak?writtenbySpivak,mainlyexplorestheissueofwhethertheroleoftheEastasthe“other”intheWestcanactonitsowninternalvoice,whichhasarousedwidespreadconcerninacademic.Shequestionsthepracticeoflettingthedemocracyspeak.Shebelievesthattheoppressedclassisdifficulttodefineprecisely.Forexample,thereisactuallyavastambiguityamongthecolonialruler,thelocaleliteandthelowerpublic,andtherearealsocompletelydifferentsituationsbetweenthepublic,suchasgenderandoccupation.Whenthesituationi21

14scompletelydifferent,theresultingconsciousnessisalsodifferent.Moreimportantly,itisalsoaquestionofhowtherepresentativesoftheintellectualsinIndiacanrepresentthepublic,becausetheirWesternacademicbackgroundshowstheirambiguousrelationshipwithWesternknowledge.Whetherathomeoratschool,Wendydoesn’tmakeherownvoice.EvenherEnglishname---WendyisnamedbyateacheratLloyd,whentheymovetoLloydatthefirsttime.Ngdescribesinthenovel,“Thatevening,eachbroughthomeanavy-blueuniformstitchedwithanewEnglishname:Henry.Wendy.”(CelesteNg,2014:41).Shedoesn’thavetherighttosay“No”,anddoesn’thavetheconsciousness.Instead,sheishappyaboutit,becausehersoncouldstudyforfreeatLloyd.AsNgdescribesthattheiractionaftertheyreceivedaletterfromHenry’brotherwiththissentence,“Theydidn’tunderstandhisanswers,butthey’dnodded,pleasedthatJameswaslearningthingstheydidnotknow”(CelesteNg,2014:42).Likewomeninthethirdworld,shehasnorighttosay“no”.ShealwaysacceptspassivelyandcentersonJamesandHenry,whichreflectsthephenomenonthatwomendonothavearighttospeakforthemselves.Thisorientalwomanhasworkedandsufferedallherlifejustforherfamily.ButJamesonlyimpressesherwithherwork.Hedoesnotlikebeingknownabouthisrelationshipwithherthattheyareafamily.IfWendyisonewhocaneffectivelyteachJameshowtospeakforhimself,andteachJamestobeproudofhisnationinthemainstreamsociety,includingliferequirementwhichisnotonlydiligenceandwisdom,butalsoself-confidence.Ifshecandothat,thenLydiawillnotcarrythemissionofbecomingapeopleperson.Butasthelowest-levelwomaninthemainstreamsociety,Wendyhasdifficultyinhavingherownrights.3.2The“Silent”AmongtheMainstreamSociety---MarilynMarilynisLydia’smother,oneoftheprotagonistsofthisnovel,anauthenticCaucasian,andthemaincauseofLydia’sdeath.TongDanbelievesthatMarilynistheloserinthefemale“other”,whileLydiaisthe“other”inthegapbetweencultures(仝丹,2019,30(01):56).Thisisnotentirelytrue.Inthenovel,shewastherepresentativeofwomenwhocouldnotgetthesamestatusasmeninthesocietyatthattime,andalsothesilentpersoninthismainstreamsociety.Shewasunwillingtospendherlifelikehermother,andshewantedtogetoutofthisplightandbecomea“heterogeneous”,soshemarriedJames.Shethoughtthatwouldbeauniquebehavior.However,it’sawrong,James’desirewascompletelyoppositetohers.Therefore,evenifMarilynhadaspiritofdissatisfactionanddaredtopursueherownfreelife,sheeventuallywasdefeatedby21

15society’sexclusionofthe“other”andcontemptforwomen.Marilynwasexcellentatthattime,butshestillcouldnotescapetheconstraintsofthesocietyonthemixed-racefamily.Intheend,shefailedtofightwiththesocietyandthensheplacedallherpursuitsonLydia.SomuchsothatLydiawasoverwhelmed.AllthiswastheconsequenceofMarilyn'sinsistenceonherchoice.Shewantedtobeauniquepeopleratherthanahousewifelikehermotherwithoutanyidealandpassion.Thus,shewasadmittedtoHarvardMedicalSchoolandmarriedChinese-American---James.ButafterofficerFiskeannouncedthattheywererulingthiscaseasuicide.Sheregretted.ProvidedthatLydiawasawhitegirl,thepolicewouldnotclosethecase.SheshouldmarryaCaucasianratherthanaChinese-American.Subsequentlyshecouldspeakforherselfagain.Nevertheless,shehadalreadybecomethememberofthemixed-racefamily,shewaspronetobeacomplete“Silent”.Shecouldn’tspeakforherselfanymore.What’sworsewasthatherexistenceasawomanhadbeenexcludedbysociety.Eventhoughherappearance,thewhiteskinandblueeyescouldprotectherfromtheexclusionofmainstreamsociety,shestillfailed.Thus,Marilyn’sacademicexperiencewasveryrocky.ShefirmlychosethemedicalprofessionandworkedhardforituntilNathwascoming.Shegaveupherstudiesatthefirsttime,butshestilllongedtobecomeadoctor.Shejusthadneversteppedintothesocietyandoverestimatedherenthusiasmforthefuture.Hermotherwasright,Marilyncouldn’thandletheplight.TheunequalstatusanddifferentideasbetweenMarilynandJamescausedsomeunspeakablecontradictions.WhenMarilynsawthatDr.Woolfhasobtainedtheidentityandreputationwhatshedreamedof,thefirstcontradictionerupted.AndMarilynfinallydeterminedtofleeherfamilyandtocontinueherstudies.Shetoldherself,it’s“Onlyeightyearslaterthanplanned”Celeste,2014:97).ThenMarilynranawayfromhome.Thisisherrebellionasa“Silent”,butshehasbeenthe“other”asthememberofthemixed-racefamily.Therebelliondoesn’tworkandshefails.Consequently,shepinsherdreamsonLydia.AnditshowsthatsheisalwaysverystrictwithLydia.ProvidedthatLydiafailedaphysicsexam,shewillarrangeplentyofpracticearithmeticwithLydia.AndLydiacan’trestuntilsheunderstands.AlthoughMarilynfinallygoeshome,thismatterisafatalblowtoLydia.Lydiaisafraidofhermother’sdeparture,forwhichLydiaworkshardtomeethermother’srequirements.Thus,Lydia’spressureincreasessharply.Obviously,Marilyn’sloveisapressureforLydiaandLydiacan’taffordit.Marilyn’sstrugglehadtoendupduetothearrivalofHannah.Sheplacedher21

16wishesonLydia.InthatLydiathrewawaythecookbookwhenshereturnedhome.Shethoughtthat’sasign.Lydiacouldrealizeherdream.SheguessedLydia’sdreamwasthesameashers.Therefore,sheturnedallherattentiontoLydiaandputherhobbiesandidealsonLydia.ShehopedthatLydiacouldfulfillherdream.EventuallyLydiatogiveupherselfandherfamilyduetoherblindlove.ShejustattachedimportancetoherdreamandneverdiscoveredLydia’struethoughts.ButthemostfundamentalreasonforLydia’sdeathisthatMarilynisa“Silent”.Asa“Silent”sheisunabletoachieveherdreams.ThatistherootofLydia'sincreasingburden.3.3The“Silent”AmongtheMixed-racefamily---LydiaLydiaistheseconddaughterinthismixed-racefamily.Sheisthecauseoftheentireincidentandtheprotagonistofthenovel.Toherfamily,Lydiaisagoodgirlwholoadedwiththeparents’highexpectations,buttoherneighbors,sheisthesameasotherChinese-Americangirls.Shehasanimportantsupportingroleinthismixed-racefamily.Shemaintainsthedeformedbalanceofthefamily.Butherdeathbreaksthebalanceofthefamily.Althoughthisroledoesnothavemuchself-thinkingandnarration,itisanindispensablerole.XingYinghuibelievesthatLydia’sdeathiscausedby“filialpiety.”Shesays,“Theotherreasonforthetragedyistheheroine’sfilialpiety,whichisalsothemainreason”(邢颖慧,2017,No.413:56).ButLydia’sdeathisrelatedtomanyfactors,suchasthepressureofsuffocationfromtheoutsideandthecompletelydifferentlivesofhersiblings,butthemostimportantfactorisLydia’sinnerself-collapse.Fromthehelplessnessofthestatusquotothedesireforfreedomandreconciliation,Lydiaexperiencesalotofsufferinginherheart.ForLydia,deathisn’tthebestwaytosolve,butit’sanappropriateway.Herparentsmanacleherwithlove.Shecan’tsaynooraffordit.Sheislikea“Silent”inherfamily.Inthatshecanonlyacceptit.Shecan’tspeakforherselfnotonlybecausesheisa“Silent”butalsoforheridentity---aChinese-Americangirl.That’swhyLydiaisdead.Lydia’sdeathopensthecoverofsecrets.UntilshetoldMarilynthatshehadthrewawaythecookbook,Lydiadidn’tgetspecialattention.AfterthatLydiabecameafake“darling”.HerparentsvaluedtheirdreamsmorethanLydiaherself.Butshecouldn’tsaynotoherparents.Shewasterrifiedthathermotherwouldleaveagainandthenthefamilywouldfallapart.Thus,sheacceptedeverythingpassivelyandprayedpiously.Shethoughtitwasamiracleforhermothercamehome.AsNgwritesinthenovel,“Shehadmadeapromiseandhermotherhadhearditandcomehome.”(Celeste,2014:146).Therefore,Lydiachoseto21

17bea“Silent”inherfamily.Lydiawaitedforeverythingtobeokay,butnotNath’sdeparture.ForLydia,Nathwas“aninspiredsmirk”(Celeste,2014:194).NathwasimminentdeparturetoHarvardmadeLydiafeeluneasy.Lydiatriedtospeakforherselfbutitdidn’twork.Shefoundthatshecouldn’tsaynojustlikethe“other”inthemixed-racefamily.Forexample,duringrevisingthephysicalpapers,Lydiawashelplessness.Shecravedfortherescuefromherfatherandbrother,buthersilentwordsdidn’tgetanyresponsefromanyone.Lydiacouldn’tspeakforherselfinthismixed-racefamily.Now,allshecoulddowasadapt,adapt,andadapt!Lydiastillwantedtofightforherself.Shewastiredofmeetingherparents’desire.Atfirst,sheselectedtobefriendswithJacktostimulateNath.ThiswasarevengeforNath’sfreedom.Thenshedeceivedherfamilyforamomentfree.Shewantedtospeakforherself.Shewantedtogetanewlife.AsNgdescribedinthisnovel,“Andasshemadethislastpromise,Lydiaunderstoodwhattodo...(CelesteNg,2014:274)”Lydiathinksthataslongassheovercomesherfear,theneverythingwillbebetterthanever.Shenolongerhastoliveuptoherparents’expectations.Andshewillnotdeceivethemanymore.Shewillgetridoftheidentityof“Silent”andtellthemthetruth.Sheneverlikesmathorphysicsandhasnofriends.Buttheshacklesaretooheavytoshackleoff.Lydia’sfightfails.Theshacklesarenotonlyherparent’slovebutalsoaman-madeproductundertheinfluenceofpost-colonialism.Lydiafinallymakesachoice,shewillstart“fromthebeginning,”(CelesteNg,2014:274).Shelongsforabeautifulfamilyandherparents’purelove,butshealsoyearnsforfreedom.Becausesheisalsoanindependentindividual,evenifsheisshackledbyloveorshecannotspeakforherself.Intheend,Lydia’sdeathisalsoherownchoice.Whethershehasthoughtofthepriceoffreedomornot,Lydiaisdead.Lydia’sdeathbringsaboutmanyconsequencessuchastheimbalanceofthisfamily.Butitopensanewchapterforthisfamily.Nooneknowswhethersheisfreeornot.Lydiaisa“Silent”notonlyinAmericabutalsoinherfamily.Shecan’texplainitherself.Atleast,thereaderswillknowthatshegetsherfreedomliketheotherswhoarebound.4.ConclusionLydia’sdeathgivesthefamilytheheaviestblowandgivesusaveryprofound21

18lesson.Lydia’sfather,asaChinese,hasahighereducationthanhispeers,butheisstilltrappedinthevortexofidentityandcouldnotberescued.Inthebonemarrow,heisdeeplyinfluencedbyOrientalmasculinity,whoalwayswantstointegrateintothewhitesociety.However,hermotherMarilynjustwantstobea“unique”insociety.Sheseemstoseetheinequalitybetweenmenandwomeninthisseeminglyequalmainstreamsociety.Shewantstobreakthisiceandtohermotherandthosewholaughedather.Peoplehaveproventhatwomencanalsodowhatmendo.Itispreciselybothofcontradictoryideasthatmakethemmisunderstandeachothertoformafamily,anditisalsotheirrespectiveideasthatmakethecontradictionsbetweenthemdeeperanddeeper,andfinallymakeLydiaavictim.Asstatedatthebeginning,Lydiaisdead,andtheydon’tevenknow.ButreadersknowthatLydiaisdeadandexactlywhyshedied.Therealreasonisthatit’scausedbytheeffectsofpost-colonialism,butpeopleoftendon’tnoticeit.Peoplearealwaysusedtodiggingoutcausesfromthesurface.Thisiswrong.Topreventatragedyfromhappening,itneedstobeliftedfromtherootcause.Otherwise,itwillsuddenlyeruptandtheconsequencewillbemoreserious.JustasLydia’sdeathcausesasuddenoutbreakofcontradictionshiddeninthefamily,familylifechanges.Onlyrelatedtothelengthoftimeandthedegreeofchange,peoplecanadjustthemselvesthat’swhypeoplesaythatconceptsareaccumulatedovertimeandaredeeplyentrenched.Allwecandoistoprotectourselvesfromtheinfluenceofthe“other”,andstrivetoovercomethosediscriminationsinlife,suchascomplexions,accents,genders,etc.Atthesametime,inourownlives,wemustavoidlockingupourfamilyinthenameoflove.Wemustfocusonthefeelingsoftherecipients.Wemustnotbeblindedbytheappearanceofacceptance;wemustshareourlovewithourfamilyandstrengthencommunication.21

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